Sundowns goalkeeper Onyango dismisses suggestions they are hot favourites against Yanga

Veteran Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Dennis Onyango has dismissed suggestions that they are overwhelming favourites in their Champions League quarterfinal clash against Young Africans. 

The Brazilians take on the highly unpredictable Young Africans, also known as Yanga, in the first leg at what is expected to be a packed and intimidating Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium on Saturday night (8pm). 

The added spice to this match is that Sundowns will be up against familiar faces in the form of their former coach Miguel Gamondi and midfielder Mahlatse Makudubela, who came through the ranks at Chloorkop. 

Asked if Sundowns will be favourites, Onyango said there are no “smaller” teams in the knockout stages of the Champions League. 

“Football is not played on paper. At the recent Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) we saw so-called smaller teams making it difficult for the bigger teams. We saw Ivory Coast lose 4-0 to an underdog, so for us every game is big and there is no underdog,” he said. 

“It will be eleven against eleven on the pitch and it will be every man for himself, we don’t look at players individually but we look at the entire team. It is not about the underdog tag, we are all playing on the same level and we just need to do our job and try to get over the line.” 

Onyango, who is from Uganda, has played many times in Tanzania and will share his knowledge of the conditions. 

“As someone who has played a couple of times in Tanzania for the national team and at club level, I will help the team with my experience and knowledge of the conditions. We know how supporters always come in big numbers to make it difficult for the opposition but we are used to these things. 

“It is an honour to be here in Tanzania again. Not a lot of people know that I actually signed for Yanga some years ago but I didn’t play before I started my international journey all the way to Sundowns. 

“For me it feels like home, but we are here to do the job. We were here to play against Bumamuro a few months ago, so we know Tanzanians want to watch beautiful football. 

“We know we are playing against a good team, with a lot of qualities and they are not here by accident but we will be ready. They have done well so far and they played in the Confederation Cup last season. 

“They went all the way but lost to USM Alger and they have shown that they can compete but we are ready for the challenge. We were knocked out in the semis last season and our plan is to go all the way to the final.”